Former United States president Donald Trump has issued a stark warning that sentencing him to prison or house arrest could serve as a “breaking point” for his supporters.
This comes in the wake of his historic criminal conviction, marking the first time a former president in US history has been convicted of a crime.
During an interview aired Sunday on Fox News, Trump, who remains a Republican contender for the White House, acknowledged the possibility of facing jail time or home detention at his sentencing on July 11. He stated, “I’m ok with it,” but expressed concerns about the public’s reaction, adding, “I’m not sure the public would stand for it. I think it would be tough for the public to take. You know at a certain point there’s a breaking point.”
This warning resonates in a nation already worried about potential political violence as the November 5 presidential election approaches. Trump has been clear that he will not accept the election results if he loses to President Joe Biden.
Last Thursday, a New York jury convicted Trump on all 34 felony charges of falsifying business records related to efforts to conceal a sex scandal with porn star Stormy Daniels during the final stages of the 2016 presidential campaign. Although each charge carries a possible four-year jail term, experts suggest it is highly unlikely that Trump will receive a custodial sentence.
Trump is also facing three other criminal trials, including one concerning his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Biden. His supporters infamously stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, following a fiery speech from Trump urging them to “fight like hell.”
In the aftermath of Trump’s conviction, Stormy Daniels broke her silence, calling for the former president to be imprisoned. She told the British tabloid The Mirror, “I think he should be sentenced to jail and some community service working for the less fortunate, or being the volunteer punching bag at a women’s shelter.”
Daniels, who has a history of trading barbs with Trump on social media, expressed a sense of vindication following the verdict, though she admitted to being “shocked” at how quickly the jury reached its decision. She accused Trump of being “completely and utterly out of touch with reality” and likened him to a child during her interview.
Her testimony, which included graphic descriptions of an alleged casual sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, played a crucial role in the trial. Daniels recounted the intimidation she felt in court, noting, “Being in court was so intimidating with the jurors looking at you,” but expressed relief that her truth was validated, saying, “It’s not over for me. It’s never going to be over for me. Trump may be guilty, but I still have to live with the legacy.”
